Bed construction



April 28, 1964 L. E. WENZ BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 28, 1964 L. E. WENZ 3,130,422

BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [7?/ J ffy $051252 2%975 United States Patent 3,130,422 BED CONSTRUCTISN Louis E. Wenz, Roselle, NJL, assignor to Simmons Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 216,411 7 Claims. (Cl. -8)

This invention relates to beds and, more specifically, to beds adapted for limited movement within a given area.

In the furnishing of conventional sleeping rooms such as are found in hotels, motels and the like, space considerations frequently make it necessary to locate a bed in a position wherein it is bordered at least partially along one of its side edges by a wall or other relatively immovable object such as a heavy article of furniture. Such an arrangement, of course, makes access to the bed from the obstructed side extremely awkward and thus renders the task of making the bed a difficult one for the housekeeper.

Beds which are mounted on floor-engaging rollers can, of course, be pulled into the center of the room to be serviced, but there are several disadvantages to such a procedure. In the first place, movement of the rollers over a carpet or polished floor tends to cause unsightly wear along the path which the rollers follow. In addition, when the bed is returned to the sleeping position, it frequently contacts and scufis the adjacent wall and/ or article of furniture. Also, the beds are generally quite heavy and, hence, difficult for the housekeeper to move, especially when the floor is carpeted.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved bed structure, the position of which can be easily shifted when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed structure which includes a mattress-supporting unit shiftably mounted on a base frame supported in a stationary position on the floor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bed structure illustrating various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partially broken-away perspective view of the bed structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary partially brokenaway plan View of the bed structure shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the bed structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged partially broken-away fragmentary sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG- URE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 3.

The bed construction 11 shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is adapted to be swung laterally, about a pivotal axis located near the head end of the bed, between a sleeping position adjacent a corner of the room or an obstructing object and a service position in which the bed is spaced a sufficient distance from 3,130,422 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 ice the walls or object to permit access thereto by a housekeeper. Very generally, the bed 11 comprises a base frame 13 adapted to be supported in a stationary position on the floor of the room, and a mattress-supporting unit in the form of a box spring 15 mounted on the base frame 13 for swinging movement of its foot end about a vertically disposed pivot pin 17 which is mounted on the base frame and interconnects the box spring and frame adjacent the head ends thereof. A rotatable element 19 secured to the lower surface of the box spring is positioned so as to travel on the upper surface of the base frame between a pair of spaced-apart recesses 21 and 23 provided therein, the recesses being effective to engage the rotatable element and limit swinging movement of the box spring about the pivot pin 17.

More specifically, the base frame 13 shown in the illustrated embodiment is of trapezoidal configuration in plan view, with one end thereof, hereinafter referred to as the foot end because of its proximity to the foot end of the bed, being somewhat narrower than the opposite or head end. The use of a base frame of trapezoidal configuration permits the base frame to be positioned with one of its sides disposed in angular relation to a side edge of the box spring so that when the bed is in the service position, the corner of the base frame farthest from the pivot will still be in underlying relation to the box spring instead of projecting outwardly past the side of the bed, as would be the case if the frame were of rectangular configuration. A projecting corner of the base frame would of course interfere with the movements of the housekeeper around the sides of the bed and would thus be undesirable.

The base frame comprises generally a pair of converging right and left side members 25 and 27, a head member 29 extending between the head ends of the side members, and a foot member 31 of somewhat lesser length than the head member and extending between the foot ends of the side members. Each of the side, head and foot members is formed of an essentially straight tubular rod, the ends of which are curved downwardly as at 33, to form a pair of generally parallel legs 35. The legs of adjacent members are interconnected as by brazing or by fasteners 36 to form a depending leg of doubletubular construction at each corner of the trapezoidal frame 13. The lower end of each of the double-legs may be provided with a cup 37 to form a foot if so desired.

The legs of the left side member 27, which is located opposite to the pivot pin 17, are somewhat shorter than those of the other side member 25 to facilitate engagement between the member 27 and a second rotatable element 38, hereinafter described, which travels on the upper surface of the member 27.

It will be noted that the adjacent downwardly curved upper edge portions 33 of each pair of interconnected base members 25, 27, 2 and 31 define therebetween a notch or recess which extends downwardly from the upper surface of the frame at each of the four corners thereof. The recesses 21 and 23, previously referred to, are located at the opposite ends of the foot member 31, i.e., at the foot end corners of the base, and restrict traveling movement of the rotatable element 19 along the foot member, as will become apparent shortly.

The pivot pin 17 pivotally interconnects the box spring 15 and the base frame 13 and permits swinging movement of the box spring relative to the base frame about an axis located adjacent a head-end corner of each, the particular corner depending of course upon whether it is desired that the bed swing to the right or to the left. In the illustrated embodiment, the pin 17 is mounted on a plate 39 which is attached to the upper surface of the right side member 25 adjacent the curved portion 33 of the head end thereof by a pair of spaced fasteners 41. Connection between the pin 17 and the box spring is accomplished by a U-shaped bracket 43 having an opening in the base 45 thereof to receive the pin. The pin is flared at its upper end'to maintain the bracket is place, and the upper ends of the arms 47 of the bracket 43 are offset outwardly at right angles to facilitate attachment thereof to the lower surface of the box spring by fasteners 48. A washer 49 is disposed in surrounding relation to the pin 17 intermediate the U-shaped bracket and mounting plate to facilitate pivotal movement therebetween.

The box spring 15 is adapted to support a mattress 50 and includes a platform 51 formed so as to include a rectangular wooden frame 53 and a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse wooden slats 55 secured to the upper surface thereof. In accordance with conventional practice, a plurality of axially vertical coil springs (not shown) are arranged in longitional and transverse rows on the upper surface of the platform to form an inner spring assembly, and a layer of padding material (not shown) overlies the upper surface of the spring assembly. An envelope'of ticking 59 encloses the padding layer and spring assembly and is secured along its edges to the lower surface of the platform adjacent the periphery thereof.

The rotatable element 19 travels on the upper surface of the foot member 31 between the recesses 21 and 23 at each end thereof. The element 19 is carried on a pin 61 which is in turn supported at each of its ends in an opening 63 provided in the lower end of each leg 65 of a pair of L-shaped brackets 67. A base portion 69 of each of the brackets is secured to the lower surface of the platform 51 of the box spring 15 by fasteners 70. Since the foot member 31 is essentially straight, whereas the rotatable element 19 travels in an arc, the rotatable element is preferably elongated in shape so that a portion thereof will be in contact with the foot member throughout its path of travel, and is formed of a series of ganged rollers 71 spaced slightly from one another on the pin 61.

As can be seen best in FIGURE 5, when the rotatable element is positioned in either of the recesses 21 or 23 of the base frame, the curved portions 33 of the foot member and the adjacent side member, together with the weight of the box spring and mattress, lock it in place and prevent inadvertent swinging movement of the box spring about the pivot pin 17. Accordingly the bed may be used for sleeping purposes with the bed in either position. The rotatable element 19 may be easily dislodged from either recess merely by lifting the foot end of the box spring and displacing it laterally slightly until the element rests upon a fiat portion of the foot member. Thereafter, lateral movement of the box spring will move the rotatable element along the upper edge of the foot member until its drops into the opposite recess.

The rotatable element 19 is preferably positioned approximately on the longitudinal center line of the box spring so that the axis defined by the pin 61 lies approximately in a plane passing vertically through the center line. The element is adapted to occupy the recess 21 defined by the curved upper surface of the left side member 27 and foot member 31 when the bed is in sleeping position, and to occupy the recess 23 defined by the curved upper surface of the right side member 25 and foot member when the bed is in the service position. In the sleeping position, the longitudinal center line of the base frame 13 is askew to the longitudinal center line of the box spring, with the left side edge of the box spring extending past the left side member 27 of the base frame. In the service position, the center line of the base frame is again askew relative to the center line of the box spring, but in the opposite direction, and the right edge of the box spring extends past the right side member 25 of the frame.

The box spring is somewhat longer than the base frame and the foot end of the box spring extends past and overhangs the foot end of the base frame a substantial distance. Accordingly, a pair of legs 73 are provided which depend from the platform of the box spring adjacent the foot end thereof to provide support for the projecting end. As previously mentioned, when it is desired to swing the box spring between its locking positions in the recesses 21 and 23, the foot end is raised, thus lifting the leg members out of contact with the floor. Hence, the leg members do not interfere with swinging movement of the box spring and mattress.

The second rotatable element 38 is secured to the lower surface of the box spring platform 51 and is positioned thereon so as to engage the upper surface of the left side member 27 of the base frame and thus stabilize the box spring by providing a third point of contact between the box spring and base frame. The second rotatable element also travels in an arc and, since the side member 27 is essentially straight, is also elongated in shape and formed of a series of ganged rollers 75 carried on a pin 77 supported by L-shaped brackets 79 secured to the platform 51 by fasteners 79 as was the case with the first rotatable element 19. The leg portions 80 of the L-shaped brackets 79 are preferably somewhat longer than those of the brackets 67 which support the first rotatable element 19 so as to extend a short distance past the lower edge of the side members 27, A restraining pin 81 extends between the lower ends of leg portions of the brackets 67 and prevents the box spring from being tipped about its pivotal mounting a sufiicient degree to place the second rotatable element 38 off track.

An improved bed construction has thus been provided in which a box spring is mounted on a stationary base for lateral swinging movement so as to permit the bed to be easily moved between a sleeping and a service position, in each of which positions the bed is releasably locked in place. The provision of a stationary frame upon which the box spring pivots insures that no wheels or rollers engage the floor or rug so as to leave unsightly tracks or other markings. The base frame lies beneath and is concealed by the box spring regardless of the positions which the box spring occupies relative thereto, and therefore does not create an obstruction at the sides of the bed in either position.

While one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it should be apparent that various modifications might be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bed structure comprising an elongated base flame having a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a pair of elongated spacedapart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, each of said side members being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface adjacent each of the foot ends thereof, a head member interconnecting the head ends of said side members, a foot member connected at its ends to the foot ends of said side members and being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface adjacent each of its ends, the downwardly curved surfaces of said side members and said foot member defining therebetween a recess at each end of said foot member, and an elongated mattress supporting unit mounted' adjacent one of its ends on said base frame adjacent the head end thereof for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis, said mattress supporting unit being provided with a rotatable element on its lower surface positioned so as to travel along the upper surface of said foot member into and out of engagement with said recesses incident to swinging movement of said mattress supporting unit about said pivotal axis.

2. A bed structure comprising a base frame having a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a pair of elongated spaced-apart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, a head member interconnecting the head ends of said side members, a foot member connected adjacent its ends to the foot ends of said side members and being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface adjacent one of its ends so as to provide a recess intermediate the curved portion thereof and the adjacent side member, stop means located adjacent the other end of said foot member, and an elongated mattresssupporting unit mounted adjacent one of its ends on one of said side members of said base frame adjacent the head end thereof for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis, said mattress-supporting unit being provided with a pair of elongated rotatable elements on its lower surface, one of said elements being positioned with its axis lying in a plane passing vertically through the mattress-supporting unit along the longitudinal center line thereof so as to travel along the upper surface of said foot member into and out of engagement with said recess and said stop means incident to swinging movement of said mattress-supporting movement about said pivotal axis, the other of said elements being positioned so as to travel along the other of said side members incident to said swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit.

3. A bed structure comprising a base frame having a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a pair of elongated spaced-apart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, a head member extending between the head ends of said side members, a foot member extending between the foot ends of said side members, each of said side, head and foot members being formed of an elongated tube curved downwardly at its ends to provide a pair of generally parallel legs interconnected with the legs of adjacent members to form corners, the curved portions of each member defining therebetween a recess at each corner, and an elongated mattress-supporting unit mounted adjacent one of its ends on one of said side members of said base frame adjacent the head end thereof for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis, said mattress-supporting unit being provided with a pair of rotatable elements on its lower surface, one of said elements being positioned so as to travel along the upper surface of said foot member into and out of engagement with the recess at each end thereof incident to swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit about said pivotal axis, the other of said elements being positioned so as to travel along the other of said side members incident to said swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit.

4. A bed structure comprising an elongated base frame having a length somewhat less than that of a normal mattress box spring and provided with a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a pair of elongated spaced-apart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, each of said side members being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface adjacent the foot ends thereof, a head member interconnecting the head ends of said side members, a foot member connected at its ends to the foot ends of said side members and being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface adjacent each of its ends so as to provide a recess intermediate each of the curved portions thereof and the adjacent curved portions of said side members, and a mattress box spring rotatably mounted adjacent one corner thereof on said base frame adjacent the head end of one of said side members so as to provide an overhanging portion thereof extending past the foot end of said base frame, said box spring being provided with a pair of rotatable elements on its lower surface, one of said elements being positioned so as to travel along the upper surface of said foot member into and out of engagement with said recesses incident to swinging movement of said box spring about said axis, the other of said elements being positioned so as to travel along the other of said side members incident to said swinging movement of said box spring, means for maintaining said other rotatable element in proximity with said other of said side members, and floor-engaging means depending from the overhanging end portion of said box spring.

5. A bed structure comprising a base frame having a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a pair of elongated spacedapart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, a head member extending between and interconnecting the head ends of said side members, a tubular foot member curved downwardly at its ends to form two generally vertical legs, said side members each being formed of an elongated tube curved downwardly at the foot ends thereof to provide a pair of generally vertical legs, means interconnecting said foot member legs with the legs of adjacent side members to form corners, the downwardly curved portions of each member defining therebetween a downwardly extending recess at each corner, an elongated mattress-supporting unit mounted adjacent one of its ends on one of said members of said base frame adjacent the head end thereof for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis, and a supporting rotatable element mounted on the lower surface of said mattress-supporting unit and positioned to travel along upper surface of said tubular foot member into and between said recesses at each end thereof incident to swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit about said pivotal axis whereby gravity prevents swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit in either direction when said rotatable element has dropped into said recess at either end of said foot member.

6. A bed structure comprising a mattress-supporting unit of generally rectangular configuration, a base frame having a length less than that of said mattress-supporting unit and provided with a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a. pair of substantially straight tubular spaced-apart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, each of said side members being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface portion adjacent the foot ends thereof, a head member interconnecting the head ends of said side members, a substantially straight tubular foot member interconnecting the foot ends of said side members and having a downwardly curved upper surface portion adjacent each of its ends so as to provide a recess intermediate each of the curved portions thereof and the adjacent curved portions of said side members, means pivotally mounting said mattresssupporting unit adjacent one corner thereof upon the head end of said base flame, an elongated roller mounted on the lower surface of said unit, said roller being positioned to travel along the upper surface of said foot member into and between said recesses incident to swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit about said pivot point, said elongated roller also being substantially longer than the width of said tubular foot member so that said roller remains in contact with said straight foot member even though said roller moves in an are about said pivot point.

7. A bed structure comprising a mattress-supporting unit of generally rectangular configuration, a base frame having a length less than that of said mattress-supporting unit and having a head end and a foot end narrower than said head end, said base frame including a pair of elongated spaced-apart side members disposed so as to converge toward the foot end of said base frame, each of said side members being provided with a downwardly curved upper surface portion adjacent the foot ends thereof, a head member interconnecting the head ends of said side members, a foot member interconnecting the foot ends of said side members and having a downwardly curved upper surface portion adjacent each of its ends so as to provide a recess intermediate each of the curved portionsthereof and the adjacent curved portions of said side members, means pivotally mounting said mattresssupporting unit adjacent one corner thereof upon the head end of said base frame so that an overhanging portion of said unit extends past the foot end of said base flame, and a rotatable element mounted on the lower surface of said unit, said element being positioned to travel along the upper surface of said foot member into and between said recesses incident to swinging movement of said mattress-supporting unit about said pivot point and being proportioned to drop into said recesses, and floor-engaging means of predetermined length depending from the overhanging end portion of said mattress-supporting unit,

8 the length of said floor-engaging means being proportioned to place said means in contact with the floor when said rotatable element resides in either recess and to space said means a substantial distance above the floor when said rotatable element is on said foot member upper surface between said recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,796,614 Torre June 25, 1957 2,920,330 Reaney Jan. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,181 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1943 342,344 Switzerland Dec. 31, 1959 

1. A BED STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BASE FRAME HAVING A HEAD END AND A FOOT END NARROWER THAN SAID HEAD END, SAID BASE FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF ELONGATED SPACEDAPART SIDE MEMBERS DISPOSED SO AS TO CONVERGE TOWARD THE FOOT END OF SAID BASE FRAME, EACH OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH A DOWNWARDLY CURVED UPPER SURFACE ADJACENT EACH OF THE FOOT ENDS THEREOF, A HEAD MEMBER INTERCONNECTING THE HEAD ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS, A FOOT MEMBER CONNECTED AT ITS ENDS TO THE FOOT ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A DOWNWARDLY CURVED UPPER SURFACE ADJACENT EACH OF ITS ENDS, THE DOWNWARDLY CURVED SURFACES OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND SAID FOOT MEMBER DEFINING THEREBETWEEN A RECESS AT EACH END OF SAID FOOT MEMBER, AND AN ELONGATED MATTRESS SUPPORTING UNIT MOUNTED ADJACENT ONE OF ITS ENDS ON SAID BASE FRAME ADJACENT THE HEAD END THEREOF FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A GENERALLY VERTICAL AXIS, SAID MATTRESS SUPPORTING UNIT BEING PROVIDED WITH A ROTATABLE ELEMENT ON ITS LOWER SURFACE POSITIONED SO AS TO TRAVEL ALONG THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FOOT MEMBER INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RECESSES INCIDENT TO SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID MATTRESS SUPPORTING UNIT ABOUT SAID PIVOTAL AXIS. 